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Board approves cooperative agreement with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard to expand STEM outreach
Summary
The board approved a cooperative agreement with Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for an Innovative Maintenance Technologies program that would bring monthly STEM lessons to elementary grades, STEM days for middle/high school, and volunteer support; administration called it a customizable, curricular partnership.
The MSAD 35 board on Tuesday approved entering a cooperative agreement with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for an educational partnership that administrators said would expand STEM exposure across grade levels.
Heidi, who outlined the proposal, described a customizable partnership that could include monthly shipyard-led STEM lessons in elementary classrooms, full STEM days at middle and high schools, and curriculum elements such as submersible design for middle-school students. "The staff from the shipyard would push in once a month and provide like a full-fledged STEM lesson for each student," Heidi said.
Administrators said the partnership is flexible and would be negotiated with principals to fit each building, and that Portsmouth Naval Shipyard staff have run similar programs with nearby districts. The shipyard also asked the district to help communicate volunteer opportunities to families and to help recruit parent volunteers; administration said that outreach would be coordinated through the shipyard’s community engagement office.
The board voted unanimously to approve the cooperative agreement during new business. Administrators said next steps include finalizing the written agreement and coordinating schedules and volunteer outreach with building principals.
